Barbados to Roll Out National Programme Targeting Drug Use and Recidivism

The Director of the Criminal Justice Research and Planning Unit (CJRPU), Cheryl Willoughby, has sounded a national call to action as new data reveal that marijuana remains the most commonly used drug among inmates in Barbados, reigniting concerns about substance abuse, rehabilitation, and prevention.

She was speaking at a workshop where the unit released findings from a study on young offenders on remand at Dodds Prison.

Ms. Willoughby said the findings underscore the urgent need for a coordinated national response, one that goes beyond correctional institutions to involve schools, families, workplaces, and communities in addressing the root causes of substance misuse.

“We intend to embark on a national programme aimed at strengthening the country’s overall drug prevention framework,” she announced. “The data we continue to collect must not sit on shelves; it must inform action.”

According to research conducted by the CJRPU, a significant percentage of inmates admitted to using marijuana, with many starting in their teenage years. Willoughby noted that while the drug is often perceived as “harmless,” the evidence shows its use is linked to a pattern of risky behaviour, including early school dropout and repeated conflict with the law.

She warned that Barbados cannot afford complacency in the face of these trends.

“We must treat prevention as a national responsibility,” she stressed. “If the data are showing us where the vulnerabilities lie, then our response must be swift, evidence-based, and people-centred.”

Willoughby highlighted that the new initiative will draw on inter-agency collaboration, with a focus on community-based education, youth engagement, and social reintegration programmes designed to prevent relapse and reoffending.

Her remarks also drew attention to the economic and social costs of drug-related offences, noting that incarceration alone cannot solve the problem. Instead, she called for expanded rehabilitation programmes within and outside the prison system to give offenders a real chance at transformation.

Willoughby reminded stakeholders that the numbers only tell part of the story, the real measure of success will be seen in changed lives and safer communities.

“We can no longer separate crime from drugs, or drugs from our social reality,” she concluded. “The data show us the problem clearly; it is now up to us to act decisively.”

Key Findings from the CJRPU:

Marijuana remains the most frequently used drug among inmates.

Early initiation into drug use often begins in adolescence.

Many inmates link their substance use to poor educational outcomes and repeated offending.

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